29.9

Cuff worked with Golem and Alexandria, constructing a stable platform from the remnants of the protective hand. The internal structure of Cauldron was largely destroyed, leaving a hollow space resembling a missile silo open to the sky. Scion’s attack had left a golden tracery through the gloom, and a breeze stirred pitch-black flakes, remnants of the burned entity, into the air.

Imp joked about the “metal ash” being safe to inhale, prompting Lung’s irritation. They boarded the platform, and Alexandria carried them upward. Imp noted Weaver’s unusual, almost lifeless demeanor, attributing it to her flight pack and injuries. Weaver, focusing her remaining bugs, detected Sveta’s presence.

Tattletale’s voice crackled through the comms, expressing concern over the prolonged radio silence. Golem explained Scion’s attack and their subsequent descent into the complex. Tattletale confirmed that Weaver’s teammates were safe but that Weaver was using her bugs to communicate, rendering the microphone useless.

Tattletale guided them to the portal’s location, and they disembarked. Weaver, prioritizing speed, led the group through the hallway, encountering Shadow Stalker along the way. Shadow Stalker claimed to have covered their rear before retreating when chaos erupted. She mentioned Satyr’s demise, but Weaver instructed her to keep it quiet for the time being.

They passed through the portal, finding Nix and Spur held captive by Golem’s bindings. Weaver demanded information on the missing heroes, threatening to leave and send the PRT if they stalled. Spur attempted to negotiate, but Weaver, prioritizing the world over individual grudges, pressed on. She revealed the possibility of Blowout’s brain-damaging influence on the heroes, urging Golem to stay behind and search for them.

Boarding the Dragonfly, Weaver took the pilot’s seat, finding a brief respite from the politics and pain. She accessed video feeds of three key PRT outposts under attack. Scion, now visibly enraged, was tearing through Earth He’s defenses, his attacks more brutal and less methodical. Leviathan, enhanced by the Simurgh, managed to wound Scion, but the golden man retaliated with overwhelming force.

Scion’s relentless assault decimated the defending capes, leaving only those with impenetrable defenses intact. His expression, now displaying anger for the first time, confirmed his emotional turmoil. He destroyed Khonsu’s group before leaving, promptly appearing on another screen, attacking with renewed ferocity.

Imp questioned why Scion wasn’t causing more widespread destruction, and the Number Man suggested leaving the speculation to Tattletale. They watched the ongoing battles, with Scion appearing to hit harder and less forgivingly in certain areas. Weaver, focusing on gathering information, struggled with her pain, relying on Rachel’s presence for support.

The Dragonfly landed on the makeshift hospital, and they disembarked. Panacea assessed the wounded, prioritizing Doormaker’s head injury. Weaver requested pain relief and essential fixes, instructing Panacea to attend to others before her. She explained that her high pain tolerance stemmed from a past encounter with one of Bakuda’s bombs.

Tattletale arrived, seeking information from the Number Man. She learned of Contessa’s apparent death and the failure to secure a game-changing Cauldron formula. Weaver emphasized Scion’s flawed path to victory, suggesting they exploit his emotional state. Marquis cautioned that manipulating Scion could backfire, drawing on his personal experience with loss and revenge.

Weaver asserted the need to act, even recklessly, to keep a door open for success. Marquis countered by asking who was still fighting on the front lines, suggesting it was those most in touch with their true selves, those who embraced their damaged, monstrous nature. He proposed that everyone reflect on their past and play to their strengths, drawing parallels to the terminally ill who often undergo such introspection.

A distant rumble signaled Scion’s arrival. Rachel, Imp, Alexandria, Number Man, and Marquis’ group departed. Bonesaw requested Panacea’s help in patching up Doormaker, who had been bleeding into his brainpan. Doormaker, searching for the Clairvoyant, connected with his partner through a cord Weaver provided.

With most others gone, only Shadow Stalker, Lung, and Weaver remained. Weaver asked Panacea to thicken the skin on her stump before leaving through a portal Doormaker created. They arrived in a peaceful cave, a stark contrast to the chaos in New Brockton Bay. Panacea and Bonesaw tended to the wounded, while Weaver, Lung, and Tattletale remained.

Weaver, feeling like she was on the brink of finding her role, discussed Marquis’ words with Panacea. She reflected on her strongest and most scared moments, realizing they were intertwined. Panacea shared her own experience of owning her darker side, enabling her to heal others despite the difficulty of facing her past actions.

Weaver, prompted by Imp’s reminder of Bonesaw’s threat, asked Panacea to remove the restrictions her entity had placed on her power, essentially requesting a deregulation of her abilities. Panacea warned of the risks, emphasizing the potential for irreversible brain damage. Weaver, citing Dinah’s second note and the possibility of a necessary sacrifice, insisted.

Panacea, despite her reservations and the crudeness of the procedure, agreed to perform the task. She laid her hand across Weaver’s forehead, and everything went wrong.